I’ve always enjoyed starting a new blog. It’s a time generally characterized by enthusiasm, optimism and the writing of passionate content. Unfortunately however, it’s also a time characterized by doubt. Will your new blog amass a following? Is it ever going to make money?
If you want to start a new blog and you want your efforts to actually be rewarded, the first thing that you are going to have to do is get your blog noticed. You need to get your blogs name out there. After all, nobody reads what they don’t know exists. And killer content doesn’t mean a damn if it’s going unread.
Of course, there are many internet marketing gurus that will tell you that starting a new blog requires all sorts of SEO sorcery. In reality however, all you need is a unique voice and a focus on quality over quantity when it comes to backlinking. Here are seven simple steps for getting a new blog noticed.
Look Different
New blogs are easily forgettable. And this is obviously a major problem when it comes to first building an audience. If somebody visits your blog for the first time and loves your content, are they going to remember your blogs name? If not, how are they going to become a regular reader? You should choose a name that stands out. You should choose a logo that sticks in the minds of your blogs visitors. And you should use a theme that’s anything but ordinary.
Write Ten Killer Posts
First impressions count. Your first ten posts count. They are going to be the only content on your blog and they are therefore going to define it. Take the time to write ten killer posts before you go live. They should be opinionated, entertaining and they should illustrate just why your blog is different from everybody else’s. Don’t expect your content to get better over time, hit the gate running. Don’t forget to backup your new blog easily.
Encourage People to Share Them
Don’t expect any of your first ten posts to go viral. It’s possible but not the kind of possible that’s actually likely to happen. If your content is good however, you should expect a little bit of social media exposure. All you need to do is make it easy for people to share your content with their friends.
Incorporate social sharing buttons right from the start. Use attention grabbing icons and place them prominently underneath all of your posts. You can also Join Pinterest.
Guest Post on High Traffic Blogs
One of the fastest ways to get a new blog noticed is to guest post. If you’ve got the skills to get yourself published on the top blogs in your niche, there are few promotional techniques that can match it in terms of sheer exposure. You can not only expect to get a lot of direct traffic, you can expect that traffic to be highly targeted i.e. readers of a blog just like yours. Guest posting is also well known to lead to the type of backlinks that Google loves.
Leave High Quality Blog Comments
Blog commenting is one of the easiest and one of the most popular ways of getting backlinks. It also happens to be something that most bloggers do very poorly. If you want to get your new blog noticed, you should focus on leaving high quality comments on high traffic blogs that are related to your niche.
Doing so leads to serious SERP boosts, serious amounts of direct traffic and it’s the very definition of effective web marketing for any blogger. Spam comments on low quality blogs however are a complete waste of time and effort.
Join a Relevant Forum
Just like blog commenting, if done correctly, forum posting can be highly effective when it comes to getting a new blog noticed. Take the time to find the right forum/forums. You should be aiming for high traffic forums that match your blogs niche as closely as possible. Once you find one, don’t spam, contribute. Interact with those interested in your blogs niche and link to your blog with a snappy, curiosity inducing signature.
Don’t Forget On Page SEO
Finally, though SEO sorcery is by no means required, no article about getting a new blog noticed would be complete without a mention of SEO basics. You don’t need to be an expert nor do you need to hire one, but you do need to apply the basics. The aforementioned tips should take care of your off page SEO but the on page variety is also needed.
The basics of on page SEO are both easy to understand and easy to apply. Take the time to learn them, take the time to apply them and watch as your blog slowly climbs to the front page of Google. Also read more about Hosting advice for new bloggers.
